Free faxing using Windows 11.

[up2you2]

Has anybody been able to configure Windows Fax and Scan, so that they can send faxes free using Microsoft 365 Word?

[FritsSikkink]

Fax, what company still uses a fax?

[torturedsole]

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:01 AM, FritsSikkink said:

Fax, what company still uses a fax?

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You'd be surprised. 

[FritsSikkink]

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:02 AM, torturedsole said:

You'd be surprised. 

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Sure would as that is ridiculous, do they use typewriters too?

[torturedsole]

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:06 AM, FritsSikkink said:

Sure would as that is ridiculous, do they use typewriters too?

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Nearly all the major banks on the planet still use fax machines. Trust me.

 

But... https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63472371

[gamb00ler]

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:06 AM, FritsSikkink said:

Sure would as that is ridiculous, do they use typewriters too?

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....and lots of business use virtual fax machines that use electronic message rather than printing paper.

[HappyExpat57]

When voting in US elections from overseas, I always have to fax requests/replies from my pc. I use these guys and it is independent of OS, so windows 10 or 11 should work just fine. It is free so there are limits, but I believe you can pay for more if you wish.

 

https://www.gotfreefax.com/

[RayWright]

A Fax is still considered a legal document, whereas a signed / scanned document attached to an e-mail isn't.

A Fax is encrypted end-to-end between the transmitting and receiving machines, whereas; an e-mail on the other hand will pass through any number of gateways / routers / servers before being opened by the proposed recipient, or not due to lack of end-to-end encryption.

Having said that, the UK has passed a bill that will allow the 2 main carriers (BT and KCom) to withdraw the PSTN (old fashioned land lines) Network by 2025, so faxing to / from the UK will be obsolete then.

In terms of addressing the security question lost by faxing, UK banks have introduced their own Secure e-Mail systems, so as a customer you can e-mail signed documents as part of the Bank's own e-mail system.

Apparently 43% of companies in Germany still use fax as a means of communication. 

 

 

 

[scottiejohn]

  On 5/8/2023 at 5:57 PM, RayWright said:

A Fax is still considered a legal document, whereas a signed / scanned document attached to an e-mail isn't.

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Not strictly true!

There are a number of ways that signed documents can be sent as attachments.

One example; how to add a secure signature to a pdf - Search (bing.com)

[FritsSikkink]

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:35 AM, gamb00ler said:

....and lots of business use virtual fax machines that use electronic message rather than printing paper.

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but that isn't really a fax is it, more email like.

[KannikaP]

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:35 AM, gamb00ler said:

....and lots of business use virtual fax machines that use electronic message rather than printing paper.

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Is that not called E MAIL? with attachments for all papers needed to be sent.

[KannikaP]

  On 5/8/2023 at 11:41 PM, scottiejohn said:

Not strictly true!

There are a number of ways that signed documents can be sent as attachments.

One example; how to add a secure signature to a pdf - Search (bing.com)

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Some companies however, still require a 'wet signature' ie actually signed by the sender, put in an envelope and shipped halfway round the world, taking up to two weeks from Thailand to UK. I usually email them copies and tell them the originals are in the post.

I do not believe that the receiver, be it the Postal Department or the Adressee could tell the difference between 'wet' & scanned, does it really matter, and do they employ a cryptographer to verify that is a true likeness of a signature they have on your file, sent 20 years previously. 

[Adumbration]

 

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:06 AM, FritsSikkink said:

Sure would as that is ridiculous, do they use typewriters too?

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I will assume you have not seen any of the John Wick movies.

[FritsSikkink]

  On 5/9/2023 at 3:27 AM, Adumbration said:

 

I will assume you have not seen any of the John Wick movies.

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Seen them all ????

[SAFETY FIRST]

  On 5/8/2023 at 9:36 AM, up2you2 said:

Has anybody been able to configure Windows Fax and Scan, so that they can send faxes free using Microsoft 365 Word?

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Wow, I've seen a dozen comments but not one answering the question. ????

 

????

[KannikaP]

  On 5/9/2023 at 7:41 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

Wow, I've seen a dozen comments but not one answering the question. ????

 

????

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I just opened Fax & Scan on my W11, and then New Fax. First thing it says is that you must have a FAX MODEM or server.

Have you got one? If not, it will not work.

[KhunBENQ]

  On 5/8/2023 at 10:02 AM, torturedsole said:

You'd be surprised. 

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German health departments during Covid to report cases.

Sounds like but is not a joke! (like the rest of government infrastructure)

Could be wrong but even provisional election results from the polling stations had been sent by FAX.

[SAFETY FIRST]

  On 5/9/2023 at 7:47 AM, KannikaP said:

I just opened Fax & Scan on my W11, and then New Fax. First thing it says is that you must have a FAX MODEM or server.

Have you got one? If not, it will not work.

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Windows has been offering fax option since windows 3.0.

 

The OP is not asking about your solution 

[gamb00ler]

  On 5/9/2023 at 3:01 AM, FritsSikkink said:

but that isn't really a fax is it, more email like.

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it uses the facsimile protocol, so it is a non-printing fax.  The incoming stream is converted to an image which is sometimes then processed with OCR to convert to text.

[gamb00ler]

@up2you2 if you have internet you can easily use a free online fax service.  There are quite a few and many will let you send the first fax for free if you create an account.

 

I use: https://www.dropbox.com/apps/wisefax

You need to sign up with an email address.   Don't use your main email address.   I create a new email address every time I send a fax.  Essentially every fax is free because email addresses are free and easy to create and use as follows.

 

You can use http://www.yopmail.com/en/ for your email .  You don't even have to create the email account, just make up an account name(eg. whatever@yopmail.com) and then go to the above link and enter the account name to see any received emails.  There is absolutely no security on YopMail because there are no passwords.

[KannikaP]

  On 5/9/2023 at 8:05 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

Windows has been offering fax option since windows 3.0.

 

The OP is not asking about your solution 

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Which part of 'you must have a FAX MODEM' do you not understand?

I was not offering a solution, I was merely telling the OP, and others, why he cannot send a fax from his PC, be it W3 or W11.

[up2you2]

  On 5/9/2023 at 7:47 AM, KannikaP said:

I just opened Fax & Scan on my W11, and then New Fax. First thing it says is that you must have a FAX MODEM or server.

Have you got one? If not, it will not work.

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I have a modem, but my PC is using the Wi-Fi signal from it. No idea if it is indeed a fax modem, how can I tell please?

[SAFETY FIRST]

  On 5/10/2023 at 12:53 AM, KannikaP said:

Which part of 'you must have a FAX MODEM' do you not understand?

I was not offering a solution, I was merely telling the OP, and others, why he cannot send a fax from his PC, be it W3 or W11.

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No need to get cranky. 

 

[Snugs08]

If you have a copy shop nearby, that isn't a 20baht/hr gamer cafer, most of them are able to fax, less trouble than minimal deposit for the virtual fax services

[KannikaP]

  On 5/10/2023 at 1:35 AM, up2you2 said:

I have a modem, but my PC is using the Wi-Fi signal from it. No idea if it is indeed a fax modem, how can I tell please?

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Try sending a fax! You should be able to hear it dialling the receiver's number.

[up2you2]

So sending free (as in not costing anything), many (as in unlimited) is no longer possible from a PC.

I have had limited success in the past, but now my attempts are no longer getting through, which makes me think that there maybe software prohibiting the acceptance of these free fax services.
 

[KannikaP]

  On 5/10/2023 at 3:09 AM, up2you2 said:

So sending free (as in not costing anything), many (as in unlimited) is no longer possible from a PC.

I have had limited success in the past, but now my attempts are no longer getting through, which makes me think that there maybe software prohibiting the acceptance of these free fax services.
 

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Sending a fax was never free. You had to pay for a landline phone call.

[up2you2]

  On 5/10/2023 at 3:31 AM, KannikaP said:

Sending a fax was never free. You had to pay for a landline phone call.

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Interesting, normally I would let a comment like that pass and ride, but I note that previously whilst trying to be helpful you also felt that it was necessary to correct.
If you tried to do that in a social context in the company of others, I feel that it would have a negative reaction.
Sometimes it's just not necessary to be precise.

[KannikaP]

  On 5/10/2023 at 4:09 AM, up2you2 said:

Interesting, normally I would let a comment like that pass and ride, but I note that previously whilst trying to be helpful you also felt that it was necessary to correct.
If you tried to do that in a social context in the company of others, I feel that it would have a negative reaction.
Sometimes it's just not necessary to be precise.

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If you do not want to be precise & correct that's up to you,